petha, a sweet candy of North India and Pakistan that is made from pieces of ash gourd (also called winter melon, wax gourd, or white gourd) that are typically soaked in lime water and then cooked in sugar syrup. The centuries-old translucent treat comes in many flavours, including saffron, pineapple, coconut, and mango, and is shaped into small balls or rectangular chunks. Petha is sometimes served with syrup and is often soft and chewy.